Punjab CM Mann approves draft of EV policy, promises cash incentives

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday gave nod to a draft of new electric vehicle policy which proposes waiving of registration fee and road tax and cash incentives for buying electric vehicles.

Mann in an official statement said the draft policy aims at reducing environmental pollution by checking carbon emission through promotion of electric vehicles.

According to the draft policy, EVs will be pushed in the state's major cities such as Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Patiala, and Bathinda which collectively have more than 50 per cent of the state's vehicles, the statement said.

The new draft policy envisages registration of 25 per cent more electric vehicles in these cities, Mann said.

He said electric charging points infrastructure will be set up across the state for private and public electric vehicles.

Mann also said it will be the government's focus to establish the state as a hub for manufacturing EVs, their components, and electric batteries.

A centre of excellence will be established for research and development in this field, he said.

The draft policy also proposes cash incentives to the people opting for electric vehicles in the state, he said.

A provision has been made to waive registration fee and road tax on the registration of these electric vehicles, said Mann.

The first 1 lakh buyers of the electric vehicles will get a financial incentive of up to Rs 10,000, whereas first 10,000 buyers of electric auto rickshaw and e-rickshaw will get a concession of up to Rs 30,000.

He said first 5,000 e-cart buyers will get an incentive up to Rs 30,000 and first 5,000 buyers of light commercial vehicles will get an incentive between upto Rs 30,000-Rs 50,000.

Before finalising the policy, views of people will be taken, the CM said.